Why Your Reuben Sandwich Needs Some Kimchi

On its own, the Reuben—corned beef, Swiss, sauerkraut, Russian dressing—is a nearly perfect sandwich. It hits all the pleasure points: meaty and cheesy and amply condiment-ed.

But there's always room for experimentation—which led the folks behind Austin cocktail bar and restaurant Drink.Well. to a bold creation: the Spicy Kimchi Reuben. Because what can't the beloved Korean condiment improve?

“We moved to Austin from NYC, so the Reuben is a sandwich we knew and loved," says Jessica Sanders, half of the husband-and-wife co-owner team. "We thought, why not replace the sauerkraut with kimchi, which is basically a spicy Asian version of sauerkraut?"

The bread. House-made rye bread, baked to their exacting New York standards.

The filling. Corned beef, kimchi and Swiss cheese, plus a house-made Russian dressing to top it off. "The warm bread and melted cheese mix with the bright and crunchy kimchi and a generous amount of dressing, creating lots of textures and a bit of a kick.”